Wells Fargo Home Mortgage today announced that 2,323 mortgage employees across the country are being laid off or displaced, a step affecting 63 workers in the San Bernardino mortgage division.

The 60-day notice of staffing changes and reductions was blamed, in part, on lower consumer demand for mortgage refinancing or mortgage modifications.

The mortgage arm of Wells Fargo & Co. also provided a 60-day notice of displacement to 330 workers in Orange County and 87 workers in San Diego.

In a statement released minutes ago, Wells Fargo said the alignment is occurring to respond to change in consumer demand and to better align and increase the efficiency of the Wells Fargo organization.

“While interest rates remain very favorable by historical standards for homebuyers, a recent rise in rates has affected consumer demand for mortgage refinancing, causing volumes to fall below what we experienced throughout 2012 and early 2013,’’ the statement provided by Wells Fargo spokeswoman Lynne Kristensen said. “We are reducing staff in San Bernardino to respond to this shift in demand and to better align and increase the efficiency of our organization.”

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